Improvement in breech-loading fire-arms



L. W. BROADWELL. Breech-10ading Firearm.

Patented Aug. 22, 1865.

WM: mar:

' invention applied thereto.

I tridge.

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS WELLS BROADWELL, OF NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA, ASSIGNOR TO 0. M.CLAY, OF KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN BREECH-LOADiNG FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 49,583, dated August22, 1865.

To all whom it may concern.- 7

Be it known that I, LEWIS WELLs BROAD- WELL, of the city of New Orleans,State of Lonisiana,have invented a new and Improved Breech-LoadingMechanism for Small-Arms; andI do hereby declare that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the construction and operation ofthe same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part ofthis specification, in which- Figure]. is a side elevation of a gun withmy Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a viewof the upper side of the detached trigger and guard-plate. Fig. 4 is atransverse section in the line 0c 00, Fig. l.

The samelettcrs refer to corresponding; parts in the different figures.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

I form the separate breech-piece a, Fig. 2, and screw it into andsometimes upon the barrel. I then cut a vertical square mortise or slotin the breech-piece, and fit therein the sliding breech-plugb, withthree to six threaded screw 1) out upon the lower part thereof, andfitting into the revolving nut 0, located in the trigger plate, andoperated by the trigger guard d, which is attached thereto by means ofthe set-screw 0, Fig. 4. I now iorm the channelfin the breech-piecebehind the breechplug, to facilitate the entrance of the car- In therear of the bore, and immediately in front of the sliding breeclrplug, Iform a circular and slightly-tapering chamber about three-sixteenths ofan inch to one-fourth of an inch deep, about one-fourth of an inchlarger than the bore, and concentric therewith, into which I fit a steelor other metal ring or gascheck, having a hole through it a littlelarger than the bore of the gun, in order that the cartridge may passfreely through it into the barrel of the gun. On the face orbearing-surface of the gas-check I make one or more small circulargrooves, to serve as spaces to receive any little dirt which mayaccidentally get upon it or the breech-plug.

S and T, Fig. 3, is the mechanism to prevent the gun from being firedwhen the breech is open. When the trigger-guard is moved in the least inthe direction of opening the breech (see red lines, Fig. 3). the lever Sis relieved from the pressure of the pin V which is on the nut c, andthe rear end of the lever is pressed by the spring T into a notch in thetrigger, and fixes it so that it cannot now be pulled off. As soon,however, as thebreech is closed, by bringing the trigger-guard back toits normal position the forward end of the lever S is pressed by the pinV to the left,which causes the rear end thereof to move to right out ofthe notch in thetrigger, which may nowbe pulled 0d and the gun tired.This arrangement prevents the possibility of accident fromprematuredischarge, because the gun cannot be fired when the breech is open oronly partly open.

In order to open the breech preparatory to loading the gun, move thetrigger-guard haltway round to the right, (see red lines, Fig. 3,) oruntil it rests under the barrel forward. it cannot go farther. Thismovement revolves the out o and causes the sliding breech-plug b to sinkto the bOttOlll'Of the bore. The cartridge may now be introduced throughthe gascheck into the gun. Then by returning the trigger-guard back toits normal position the breech'plug is elevated to. cover the gas-checkand form a bearing thereto. The breech is now closed (see Fig. 2) andthe gun is ready to be tired.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The combination of the sliding breechblock b and screw-shank b,constructed substantially as described, with the horizontallyvibratingtrigger-guard d and nut c.

2. The mechanism for preventing thepremature discharge of the gun, asherein described, and illustrated by the drawings.

LEWIS WELLS BROADWELL.

Witnesses ELLEN A. PHELPS, JEREMIAH OURTIN.

